Kentucky Derby: Un Ojo out; Ethereal Road in
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was heartbreak on Kentucky Derby entry morning for the one-eyed New York-bred gelding Un Ojo, who was not entered for Saturday's classic after emerging from his final work with a bruised hoof.
Trainer Ricky Courville characterized the issue as a minor one with terrible timing.
"He'll live to fight another day," said Courville, who would have been saddling his first Kentucky Derby starter.
Un Ojo's defection allows Ethereal Road into the 20-horse Derby starting gate. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Luis Contreras will have the mount on Ethereal Road in the Derby. An overflow field was expected for the Derby, with Rich Strike and Rattle N Roll the expected also-eligibles, in order of preference. The post position draw for both the Derby and Kentucky Oaks takes place at 2 p.m.
Un Ojo breezed a half-mile Saturday morning, emerging with the bruised foot. He did not go to the track Sunday morning, as is routine, while Courville and his son and assistant Clay Courville soaked the foot in an attempt to draw out the bruising. The gelding also was unable to train Monday morning.
"It's pretty sore," Ricky Courville said. "At a walk, he's fine, but he's just – I can't enter him, there's no way. It is what it is. Gotta get him better and go from here."
Un Ojo, who lost his left eye in a paddock accident as a yearling, earned the majority of his points toward the Derby with an upset victory in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, becoming Ricky Courville's first graded stakes winner in the process. He most recently finished eighth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 2, although with an extremely troubled trip, as he was bounced into the rail and emerged with a since-healed injury below his shoulder that required staples.
Ricky Courville said it was too early to say if Un Ojo would be ready to contest another race in this spring's Triple Crown series.
"I've had this happen before, and seen it take three months, or three days, every horse is different," the trainer said.
– additional reporting by David Grening